The colder, and therefore darker, days have got many in Canberra asking me about what electrical work can be done outside their homes to make things safer. Security lighting is a simple and relatively cheap way to not only create a bright entrance to your home after work, but to also add value to your home in terms of aesthetics. There are a few questions to ask when thinking about security lighting: · What sort of lighting will best suit your needs – floodlighting, path lighting, down lighting along a wall or a combination of a few types of lighting · Where do you need lights – it’s easy to think that it’s only your front door you want lit up, but how about your driveway, a side or back door that you might use for hanging out washing in the dark and what about where you store your bins so that you can duck out with the rubbish after dinner or even scare possums away · How do you want the lights to turn on – do you want lights on a sensor, a timer, or do you want to do everything manually. If you want to be able to use the lights manually have you considered a remote control that could be kept in the car · Where do you want the light switches to be – next to the front or back door is traditionally the location for the switch but have you considered your bedroom so that you have easy access to turn on floodlighting, for example, if you hear a noise in the middle of the night Don’t forget too that solar lighting can augment any security lighting you choose to have. A gently glowing garden can assist to make you feel safe at home knowing that pest animals and would-be burglars can be seen by anyone in the house and also by neighbours or passers-by. As always, I’m always happy to talk to you about what we can achieve – whether it’s a single security floodlight or an entire outdoor lighting system.